Here is my dilema. In a few weeks I will find out if I have averaged enough working hours this quarter of the year to maintain my health insurance. I have missed so much work over the last six months that I am borderline loosing my insurance because I don't work enough hours per week. I am on FMLA, but I've almost used up all my weeks of FMLA. For the last few weeks I have been working as many hours a week as I can to see if I can bring my average up so that I can save my insurance. Sometimes more than 40 hours. If I fail and fall below 30 hours a week - I loose my health insurance. There is no real way to tell if I'm going to loose my health insurance or if I have averaged enough hours to maintain my insurance until after the quarter ends. Should I get out now and go on STD and stay on Disability for as long as I can, or should I stick it out and see if I worked enough this quarter? If I do loose my health insurance, what then?

Response from Ms. Franzoi

I can't advise you whether or not to go on disability. Only you and your doctor can make that determination. With repsect to the health plan, if you lose coverage because you have not worked enough hours to qualify for benefits, you will be eligible for COBRA. Under COBRA, you can continue your coverage for up to 18 months at 102% of the cost. (This assumes that your employer has at least 20 employees.)

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